I can’t think of any appropriate songs, but maybe we should bring bittersweet chocolate with almonds for the dancers.

Good day to do the “bear thing” (rub back to back like bears scratching on trees) to “Bear Necessities”. But I don’t have that record, so I guess I’ll use my MIDI version of Teddy Bears’ Picnic for patter.

Johnny Rivers had hits in the 60’s and 70’s.

Secret Agent Man is the only one of Johnny’s hits that I know has a singing call version.

Relevant Records

• Secret Agent Man (Lou Mac 213)

Al Hirt was a famous trumpeter; he died in 1999.

Tempos Tantrum on Aussie Tempos 1011 is a version of Java, one of Al Hirt’s hits.

Relevant Records

• Tempos Tantrum (Aussie Tempos A1011)

The Canadian Pacific Railway was completed when the last spike was driven at Craigellachie in British Columbia. The 2,980-mile transcontinental railroad started in Montreal, Quebec, running between Montreal and Port Moody, B.C.

Sounds like a good excuse for doing train songs. Here are some of mine:

• Night Train To Memphis Kalox 1294 Harper Smith
• Chattanooga Choo Choo Blue Star 2403 Ben Goldberg
• Transportation Medley ESP 902 Steve Kopman
• Baby Likes to Rock It ESP 197 Elmer Sheffield Jr.
• Freight Train Cascade 1007 Bill Peterson
• Long Train Running Royal 228 Tony Oxendine
• Wabash Cannon Ball Longhorn 1032 Harold Bausch
• This Train River Boat 230 Larry Marchese
• All Aboard Chaparral 314 Gary Shoemake

Relevant Records

• This Train (River Boat 230)
• Wabash Cannon Ball (Longhorn 1032)
• Night Train To Memphis (Kalox 1294)
• Freight Train (Cascade 1007)
• All Aboard (Chaparral 314)
• Chattanooga Choo Choo (Blue Star 2403)
• Long Train Running (Royal 228)
• Baby Likes to Rock It (ESP 197)

The cigarette manufacturing machine was patented by Albert H. Hook of New York City. He probably had no idea how appropriate his name was for such an invention…

Good day to bring out “Smoke, Smoke, Smoke that Cigarette”

Seems appropriate for this week that we’re probably all playing our Halloween-oriented records anyway. I can’t think of any special songs, but it’s something to mention as you play Monster Mash and Monster’s Holiday.

Day-O was recorded on RCA Victor.

Day-O, one of the most popular of Harry Belafonte’s hits, was recorded for RCA Victor. Day-O didn

Invented by two guys (see story here, and brought into prominence by Dave Barry in a column in 2002, on this day, you are encouraged to talke like a pirate: aarr!! me hearties.

I’m sure you can figure out how to deliver patter in a piratical way, but here are a few sites to get you started:

• http://talklikeapirate.com/howto.html
• http://www.puzzlepirates.com/docs/vocabulary.html
• http://www.waferbaby.com/howto/talklikeapirate/
• The Pirate Game: Pirate Glossary
• Talking like a pirate is fun but annoys people

For songs, the only one I could find with “pirate” in it is “Pirates and Poets” (available as an MP3). We really need “Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rum” or something.

For calls, you can use “boat” calls. There’s a call Chase the Boat (Burleson 2817) that seems appropriate for a pirate. Also Explode the Boat (Burleson 1061) and Sink the Boat (Burleson 477).

Enjoy!

Songs that were at the top of the charts on August 20:

• 1947
  • Peg o